Steaevj and air engine



(No Model.)

H. E. DEPP,

STEAM AND AIR ENGINE.

No. 290,405. Patented Dec. 18, 1883.

TATES Nrrn HEZEKIAH ELLIS DEPP,

on SEDALIA, MISSOURI.

STEAM AND 'lMR ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,405, dated December 18, 1883.

Application filed October 2, 1883. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HEZEKIAH E. DEPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sedalia, in the county of Pettis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Steam and Air Engine, of which the following, in connection with the annexed drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of engines which are driven by means of steam and compressed air combined, and the object is to improve the construction and efficiency of the engine patented to me in the United States April 25, 1882, and numbered 256,826, and to utilize the exhaust products from the main engine and the compressing-engine for heating the air delivered from the compressing-cylinders, as well as the lubricating-water of the air-compressors and the feed-water for the boilers, and delivering said heated air to the boiler to be mixed with the steam generated therein, and thereby saving heat, improving the effectiveness of the motive agent, and avoiding waste of water.

To this end my invention consists, first, in

an improved method of operating engines, consisting in admitting steam from the boiler into the compressor-engine cylinder, then ex-- hausting it into the main-engine cylinder, and admitting additional steam into said cylinder,

then exhausting the combined steam and air into a casing, jacket, or pipe surrounding the pipes containing compressed air and the pipe containingthe feed-water, or pipes containing the feed-water and waste lubricating-water from the compressing-cylinders, and by said combined air and steam exhaust of the compressing-engine, or both the compressing-en gine and the main engine heating the compressed air delivered from the compressing cylinder or cylinders and the feed-water, or both the feed-water and the lubricating-water on their passage to the boiler, and in this heated state mingling the compressed air, feedwater of the doctor, or both said feedwater' and the lubricating-water of the compressing cylinder or cylinders, with the body of steam and water within the boiler, as hereinafter specified; and it consists, second, in certain novel combinations of devices, as hereinafter described and specifically claimed, 7

c, if required.

whereby an improved compressed-air and steam engine or apparatus is produced, wherein the'heat from the exhaust products are utilized for the purpose of heating the compressed air, the feed-water, and the lubricating-water of the compressor or compressors during the delivery of the same to the boiler.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation, partly in section, of the apparatus for carrying out my invention; and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are enlarged cross-sections of the air and feed pipes incased in a jacket or exhaust-pipe of main engine.

In the drawings, A represents a boiler of any suitable size and construction, and B is the main engine, having the usual fly-wheel' pipe a, connected to the boiler by opening the valve a, and the steam is exhausted through the pipe d into the cylinder of the main engine B by opening the valve 0 and closing a valve or cock, 0, in pipe 70. After this engine is started, steam and compressed air combined are admitted through pipe I) on opening the valve The exhaust products of the air-compressing steam-cylinder O, by closing valve 6 and opening avalve or cock, e,in pipe is, pass through pipe is, while the exhaust from the main engineB passes through pipe'i into an enlarged casing, jacket, or pipe, F, within which are arranged the delivery pipe or pipes h of the airbylinders-one or moreas well as the feed-water pipe 9, leading from the feedpump Gto the boiler, and the pipe k for the water used for lubricating the air-cylinder. By means of the'heat from the exhaust products of the compressorengine (3, or both this engine and the main engine B, together with the heat caused by the compression of the air and the friction of the pipes and valves, which enter said casing, jacket, or pipe, the air and feed-water will be heated while passing through the small pipe It or pipes g h if, leading to the boiler.

The said casing, jacket, or pipe may be made of a size suitable for containing either one pipe, as shown in Fig. 1, or two, three, or

more pipes for air and water, (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings;) and, if desired, it may be incased with a non-conducting covering, to prevent radiation of heat. The heated air will be conducted to the steam-space of the boiler, to be mixed with the steam, while the heated water may either be conveyed into said space or into the water-space, as found most desirable. After heating the air and feed pipe or pipes, the exhaust in casing, jacket, or pipe F may escape into the atmosphere at h, or otherwise suitably.

By my invention as represented and hereindescribed, I dispense with the use ofthe reservoir shown in my aforesaid patent, and also utilize the heat of the exhaust products for heating the water of the boiler; also, the waste water for supplying the boiler. The heat caused by the exhaust products and the compression and friction of the air is partly absorbed by the water, and it thus enters the boiler along with the air in a heated state, while the air heated by exhaust-steam and mechanically heated, itself serves for heating the water in the boiler. The air and water may only be subjected to the exhaust-heat from the compressing-engine C, before passing into the boiler, by closing the right-hand end of the pipe F against the exhaust-pipe i,- or they may be subjected to the heat of the exhaust from both the compressing-engine G and the main engine B by having the right-hand end of pipe F open and the pipe 2' arranged to exhaust into it, as shown in the drawings, or in any other suitable manner, thereby utilizing the additional heat of said exhaust.

The utilization of the heat herein referred to is realized in the boiler either by an enlivening of the steam and preventing rapid condensation, or by acting as an auxiliary heating means, or by combination of both these effects upon the steam and water in the boiler.

The different parts or pipes may be provided with such cocks, regulation, or governing devices as are commonly used in engines for like purposes, additional to those represented, as circumstances may require, without departing from my invention.

It will be understood that the air-pipes h h h and waste-water pipe h" and the water-pipe 9 will unite into one common feed or supply pipe leading into the boiler, and that thus the power of the compressing air-cylinders and the water-pump G can be utilized for forcing the same into the boiler; and, further, that when the compressing apparatus is set higher than the water-line of the boiler the waste lubricating-water will more readily flow into the boiler.

The operation is as follows: Steam being generated to the desired pressure in the boiler, (all the valves being closed,) the valve (0 in pipe (1, leading to the steam-cylinder O, is opened, and thereby live steam is admitted to the cylinder from the boiler, and in a short time afterward the main engine B is started by admitting the exhaust from cylinder 0 to the cylinder of the main engine 13. If the motive power for the main cngineis not sufficient, the valve 0 in the pipe I) is opened and additional steam is admitted from the boiler. In practice, said valve will be connected with and operated by the governor of engine 13. The amount of steam and compressed air is proportioned in such manner as to regulate the exhaust from the main engine. The exhaust from the engine-cylinder of the compressing-engine (J, as also that from the main engine B, will, after a proper closing of valve or cock 0 and opening of a valve or cock, 0, in pipe 7., be conveyed into the jacket, casing, or pipe F, in which are arranged the deliverypipes from the air-cylinders and the lubricating apparatus of said cylinders, and also the feed-water pipe of the boiler, and it serves to heat the air and water before delivery of the same to the boiler, the air by this means being.

caused to increase its volume, while the feedwater in its pipe is heated before entering the water or steam space of the boiler, and thus is in a condition for aidin gin and facilitatingthe generation of steam. The thus mixed or combined steam and compressed air, after the first few strokes of the engine, forms the motive agent for operating the engines.

It will be readily understood that the original steam-pressure, which would be reduced by operating the air-compressor to about onefourth, will in a great degree be compensated for in volume by means of the compressed air introduced into the boiler after being heated on its way to the boiler by exhaust-steam, so that there will be but very little less of pressure and naturally of power.

In the drawings I have not shown the cylinders E and D as provided with the usual valves required upon the same; but it will be understood that these cylinders are to be provided with such valves, as well as all the wellknown appliances commonly used in connection with such cylinders; also, that these cylinders are to be provided with the suitableusual means for lubricating them with water, and that the water used to lubricate the air cylinder or cylinders may also be conveyed through a delivery pipe or pipes, h, to the boiler, and such water being heated by means of compression in said cylinder or cylinders and the exhaust products, will greatly aid the combined steam and compressed-air apparatus by reducing the quantity of feed-water required to be supplied to the boiler from the feed pump G.

I am aware that exhaust-steam has been before used for heating feed-water on its passage to the boiler; but I am not aware that a combined air and steam engine has been organized so as to have its compressed air and the feed-water or the feed-water and lubricating-water heated within an inclosing-jaeket, casing, or pipe by the exhaust-steam of the compressing-engine, or by both the exhauststeam of the compressing-engine and of the main engine, and said air'and Water in their heated condition introduced into the boiler, as I have described and shown.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of operating engines herein described, consisting in admitting steam from the boiler into the compressor-engine cylinder, then exhausting it into the main-engine cylinder, and admitting additional steam into said cylinder, then exhausting the combined steam and air into a casing, jacket, or pipe surrounding the compressed-air pipes and the water-pipes, and by said combined air and steam-exhaust heating the compressed air and the water in the pipes on their Way to the boiler, and in this heated condition mingling the compressed air from the compressing cylinder or cylinders and the said water with the body of steam and Water Within the boiler, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a boiler, A, and steamengine B, an air-compressing engine, D E, suitable inlet-pipes, and the delivery-pipes inclosed in a casing, jacket, or pipe containing the exhaust products of the main and compressing engines, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of aboiler, A, and steamengine B, an air-compressing engine, 0 D E,

pipes at I) (Z, having suitable valves, and a feed Water pipe, g, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4.. In an engine operated by combined steam and compressed air, the method herein described of utilizing combined exhaust-steam and air from the compressing-engine or both the compressing and main engines, consisting in introducing said combined exhauststeam and air into a casing, jacket, or pipe containing the 'compressed-air-delivery pipes of the compressing cylinder or cylinders and the feed-water pipe, or both the feed-Water and 5 the lubricating-water pipes, and heating the said compressed air and said water on their Way to the boiler, introducing the same into .the boiler, and mingling them with the steam and Water therein, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a boiler, A, a main engine, B, a compressingengine, 0, provided with one or more aircylinders With inletpipes having suitable valves and with outletpipes for the air, a feed-Water pipe, and a casing, jacket, or pipe, F, in which the outlet air pipe or pipes and the Water-pipes are inclosed, and the exhaust from the main and compress ing engines is introduced, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

HEZEKIAH ELLIS DEPP.

\Vitnesses:

WV. S. DEARDOFF, GEO. MILLs ROGERS. 

